Magician Automaton - Conjuror with Six Secrets

I am particularly fond of automata featuring magicians. Here's a piece in the upcoming Theriault's auction that is a classic. This is another piece by Michel Bertrand -- successor to the famous Vichy/Triboulet/JAF lineage.

From the catalog description:

In his right hand, he holds the top of a large, red conjuring cup and in his left hand is a white magic wand. Movements and Music. While music plays, the Clown nods and looks around him. He blinks and moves his mouth as if talking to an assembled crowd of on-lookers, and waves his magic wand. As he raises and lowers the upturned red cup, objects appear and disappear in six successions: mouse, jewelry, flowers, goldfish, dice and bird in a cage. The movements are executed with grace and dexterity, directed by a large clockwork mechanism with eight cams hidden within the base. The six-tune musical movement is an antique one of good quality.

The auction on November 23rd, 2008 will be at the Westin Governor Morris in Morristown, New Jersey. A preview will be held on the 22nd from 6 to 8 PM as well as from 9 to 11 AM on the 23rd. The collection can be viewed and bid upon online also.

Here is the full description of The Clown Conjuror w/Six Secrets.

---